Captain
by Dreaming Rain
Summary: Cid is in a foul mood, again. And in the end, only one person can make him stop, even if she's the one he treats the worst. Hey, he's her captain. CidxShera, oneshot, short and sweet. R&R please.


**A/N: Cid is also one of my favorite characters, but why he is, I have no clue. I guess his whole rough-demeanor-hiding-a-warm-heart gets me. Though I have to admit, he seriously needs anger-management lessons in this fic. Ah well, Shera shall deal with it. Is CidxShera the ONLY pairing for poor Cid? I mean, I like it, but...it seems to be the only one. This is so much shorter than I anticipated, it's embarrassing.**

'God damn this $#$ piece of $ to hell!'

Shera sighed silently. The captain was obviously having trouble with the new kit he'd ordered from Midgar. Now there was going to be complete hell and everything in a ten-mile radius of Cid Highwind would be facing extinction off the face of the Planet.

There was a loud crash and the sound of running footsteps. As she looked up from the blueprints of the new plane she had been studying, she saw one of Cid's assistant mechanics slip in through the door.

'Is everything alright Robbie?' she asked, completely aware of the answer.

Robbie's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets. 'The captain's a lunatic,' he whispered confidentially. 'I'm lucky he's such a bad shot.'

'What did he do, throw the kit at you?'

'No, just the automated drill. Apparently it needs an inordinate amount of Mako to drill beyond one inch and we don't have any reserves.'

Shera nodded. 'Why don't you go get a glass of water to drink, it'll calm your nerves. I'm sure the captain will-'

'Robbie you little piece of shit, get your $#$ down here RIGHT NOW!'

Robbie jumped like a startled rabbit and gave a pleading look to Shera. 'Oh please Shera, hide me! He's going to tell me to start on the wings and I _need_ the drill to work for it! It's not going to work and he's going to kill me! I don't wanna die! Please hide me!'

Shera gave an amused smile at the young man's earnestness. 'It's alright Robbie, you go freshen up, and I'll talk to the captain.'

'You'll..._talk_ to the captain?' he asked in astonishment. 'Are you crazy? He'll rip your head off!'

'Don't be silly. He's not a nut-case.'

'Well, he's a pretty good actor then, because he's got me convinced.'

She gave him an admonishing look as she went in through the door, to a place worse than the deepest bowels of hell; Cid Highwind's workplace.

The captain himself was under the engine of the plane, two muddied boots sticking out from under the side. His voice, however, was completely audible as he shouted, 'About time $#$#, why the hell weren't you answering! Got hit by the drill or something!'

'Um, Captain, it's me,' Shera said timidly.

'For cryin' out loud man, you sound like a girl! Buck up you little &$$!'

'Captain, it's Shera.'

Cid slipped out from under the engine and Shera braced herself for a barrage of curses. Which she duly received.

'Damn you woman, what the hell are you doing here! Did I ask for you to come in! Where the hell is that &$&& Robbie!'

'Captain,' said Shera as soon as she was allowed to speak, 'Robbie's going to get a glass of water, then he's coming back. It's no big deal.'

Wrong move.

'No big deal? NO $#&$ BIG DEAL! I'm up to my $#& ears in work and you say it's no big deal! How the hell can someone as dense as you understand what a big deal is!'

Shera sighed inaudibly. 'I'm sorry Captain.'

'You should be! Going around, sticking your &#$ nose where it's not wanted! You don't have any appreciation for a man's work! You're useless! You should learn when you're not $&$& needed!'

Shera bowed her head submissively. She had hoped he would have forgiven her for that disastrous episode with the oxygen tanks, where she had ruined his dreams of being the first man in space. 'You're right Captain. Forgive me.'

The apologetic tone did nothing for Cid however. Feeling that she was mocking him, he slid out from under the engine to really give her a piece of his mind when something caught his eye. Her cheeks were glistening. And cheeks don't usually glisten unless...

'Look at the woman,' he growled, but in a softened tone. 'Can't take a little piece of advice without making a big deal out of it.'

Shera hurriedly dabbed at her eyes, trying to quickly disperse the tears.

Cid paused, watching her rubbing her eyes, getting increasingly uncomfortable with every passing moment. He was supposed to deal with _machines_ dammit, not women!

'You okay now?' he asked, not sure how to sound.

Shera hurriedly nodded, well aware of how the Captain hated emotional scenes and drama. 'I'm-I'm alright Captain.'

'Good,' he said, still a little awkwardly. 'Well, just tell Robbie to get in here. We got work to do.'

'Captain, if I may? Robbie's a little...nervous about working on the wings without the proper tools and-'

Cid flared up again. 'What the damn hell am I supposed to do about it! I got him a new kit, not my $$# fault it ain't working!'

He might have carried on but Shera quickly soothed him with a 'Yes, Captain, absolutely. But it's not his fault either.'

Having grudgingly agreed that it wasn't Robbie's fault the new kit wasn't working, Cid agreed to let the boy in and not smash his head right in.

As Shera left to call Robbie, she heard a shuffling sound from Cid. Turning, she saw him standing with his head bowed, the epitome of embarrassment.

'I...uh...'

'Yes, Captain?'

'What I said back there...about you being useless...it was just a load of shit. You're not useless.'

Shera's heart swelled and a smile stretched on her face.

'Hope you can forgive me,' he continued. 'You know me, ramblin' on when I get in a temper...'

'It's alright Captain,' she said hurriedly. 'I forgive you. I just wish that you'd forgive me too.' Having said that, she quickly went out, not wanting to make more of a scene.

That day was a very strange one for Robbie. First he nearly had his head part company with his shoulders. Then Shera came to him, crying and smiling, to tell him that Cid was calling for him. On asking Shera what was wrong, she replied that the world was a beautiful place and went off. In the garage, Cid greeted him by asking if women were really all they cracked up to be and if he had a girlfriend.

'Captain, you feeling alright?'

Cid was under the engine and didn't answer, although Robbier could have sworn he'd muttered something that sounded like, 'She _can_ stand up to me, in a way. I like that.'

Shaking his head, Robbie went right back to work.

**Well...that's it. Kinda silly, now that I think of it. Oh well. Now PLEASE review, It'll only take a second. Critcism is welcome! As long as it makes sense, though.**


End file.
